The present invention relates to a heat developing method and a heat developing apparatus for performing a rapid process of heating and successively cooling a sheet film on which a heat developing photosensitive material is coated.
Patent Document 1 indicated below discloses a heat developing apparatus for sliding and heating a sheet film on the EC surface (emulsion coated surface) side between a heated drum having a flexible layer and a plurality of opposing rollers, thereby developing the film with a latent image formed. Patent Document 2 indicated below discloses a heat developing apparatus of a method of using a fixed heater divided into three parts instead of the heating drum aforementioned and sliding and heating the BC surface (supporting substrate surface) side of a film on the heater. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 indicated below discloses a heat developing apparatus for passing and heating a film through a slit formed on the outer periphery of a drum. Further, Patent Document 4 indicated below discloses a miniaturized dry-type image processor for continuously executing exposure, development, and cooling and especially performing the exposure process and heating process simultaneously.
Even in a comparatively large-sized apparatus as described in Patent Documents 1 to 3 and even in a small-sized apparatus as described in Patent Document 4, a heating method uniform in the film conveyance direction is adopted. The former apparatus can realize a uniform image quality by the uniform heating method and the large quantity processing ability. However, in the latter half in the heating step, the apparatus heats and conveys films with excessive accuracy, thus a decrease in cost by miniaturization and reduction in the number of parts cannot be expected, and on the other hand, in the latter apparatus, neither a rapid process nor uniform heating, that is, uniform density can be expected. Furthermore, in a conventional heat developing apparatus, the heat developing time is generally 14 seconds or so (a length of 17 inches in the conveyance direction), but realization of a rapid heat developing process is required. However, in theses Patent Documents, no measures for the rapid heat developing process are suggested and disclosed.
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Tokuhyou No. hei 10-500497
Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Tokkai No. hei 2003-287862
Patent Document 3: U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,143
Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Application Tokkai No. hei 2002-162692